Home
by demonofabove
Summary: Rumours are enough to turn Iruka's entire world around.


Disclaimer: Like the majority of people, I don't own Naruto or anything about it; I just have an overactive imagination.

Warning: This is a Kakairu pairing, so it is boy x boy; or a gay relationship, for those who don't know the term. But I'm guessing that most of you, like myself, already know exactly what it is and are actively seeking this out; so I guess this isn't a warning for you, but an introduction to something I hope you'll enjoy.

Without further ado, let the reading begin!

* * *

"Yo!" a familiar voice greeted.

"Oh, K-Kakashi, you're back from your mission! H-How did it go? Naruto wasn't too much trouble was he?" Iruka stammered. He had hoped that the copy ninja hadn't heard the rumours, but he was expecting the worst; and dreading the moment he would find out. What would his friend think of him then? Probably the same as everyone else…

Kakashi was just… confused. He had never seen Iruka so nervous around him before; it was like he was meeting the man for the first time. But since they were out in public, he didn't say anything; although he wanted to. He'd find some way to get the chuunin alone.

"It would have been easier if Naruto followed the plan, but it all worked out, so it doesn't matter." He shrugged nonchalantly.

"He's still doing that?" Iruka sighed. "I'm going to have to lecture him again when I take him out to Ichiraku tonight."

"Please do." Kakashi chuckled as he kept a close eye on the man before him.

Iruka returned the laughter, somewhat awkward, then the air was filled with a strangely tense silence for a moment. He was relieved that Kakashi didn't seem to know, but suspected that Kakashi noticed something, because he hadn't stopped studying the man since he first spoke. The sharingan user could see that Iruka was becoming uncomfortable, so he left the conversation at that.

"Well I've got to finish this mission report, so I had better go." He finally said.

"R-Right!" Iruka responded a little too intensely as Kakashi began to turn. When the man stopped after a few paces, Iruka froze.

"Is something bothering you? You seem a little off today." _He doesn't need to know about the rumours… No way…_

"No, no; I'm fine!" Iruka smiled.

Although he smiled, Kakashi could easily see the panic and emotion welling in Iruka's eyes. He wished that the academy teacher had been honest with him, but he also understood the need to contemplate and being sure of things before speaking with someone else.

"Alright then," Kakashi began sceptically, "but if you're ever not, you know I will listen and support you, right?"

Iruka nodded and watched as the silver-haired man pulled out the latest edition to Jiraiya's perverted series and departed. He felt guilty then. Kakashi was a man he knew he could trust; and had even helped him out in the beginning when he didn't know how to deal with Naruto. If it wasn't for him, Iruka wouldn't be where he was today; and Naruto most certainly wouldn't have graduated the academy and become a great shinobi. But still, he just couldn't seem to tell the man his problem.

* * *

"Iruka-sensei!" a boisterous voice boomed, accompanied by thunderous footsteps.

Before the man had time to react, he saw an orange blur lunge at him, wrapping his arms tightly around the man's waist, nearly knocking him over. Delighted to see the blonde boy burying his head into his body, Iruka smiled brightly and returned the hug.

"Naruto, be careful!" he laughed, "I nearly fell down this time!"

"But you didn't, so it doesn't matter!" He detached himself from the man and looked at his face with pleading eyes. "Ne, Iruka-sensei, can I have four bowls of ramen this time?"

" _Four_?! Do you think I'm made of money?" Iruka laughed. Somehow Naruto's smile became even brighter, and he began tugging at the academy teacher's wrist, urging him to hurry along.

Watching Naruto eat ramen had always been a dumbfounding sight. Iruka had never understood how he could eat so much, and in such a small time. The boy was on his third extra-large bowl in barely 10 minutes, including the wait; it really had to be a world record... Even Choji wouldn't be able to beat Naruto in a ramen eating contest, he wagered with a small chuckle. Naruto looked up from his bowl.

"Ne, what's so funny?"

"Don't worry about it!" Iruka smirked.

"Aw, come on, sensei! Please tell me!" The blonde began pulling at his ex-teacher's sleeve.

"Yes, please do!" a familiar voice pleasantly spoke from Iruka's other side.

"EEK! K-Kakashi! When did you get here?!" Iruka panicked as a blush crept onto his face. He was a shinobi that dealt with tricky kids and was trained to be aware of everyone within his vicinity; he shouldn't allow himself to become startled so easily.

"I've been here the whole time." Kakashi stated with an amused glint in his uncovered eye.

"W-What? Really?" Iruka asked. Surely he hadn't been _that_ distracted to not notice one of the most powerful shinobi in Konoha; even if the man had supressed his chakra. A hearty laugh escaped Kakashi's throat, which earned him curious looks from both Iruka and Naruto.

"You make this too easy, Iruka!" he grinned as he gently placed a hand on the man's shoulder. "I only just got here."

"O-Oh, right." Iruka flushed.

Kakashi really enjoyed teasing Iruka when he got the chance. The way he blushed and became nervous with a loss for words was something he could never get enough of. But as much as he enjoyed that particular interaction, it didn't go unnoticed when Iruka visibly tensed at the friendly hand on his shoulder. Iruka was no stranger to suddenly being touched, particularly because there were plenty of students who would grab him in class, not to mention Naruto always flinging himself over the man; so Kakashi became curious about the sudden fearful reaction.

"Hey! Don't be mean to Iruka-sensei!" Naruto started. Kakashi chuckled and looked at the pile of empty ramen bowls by his side.

"I think _you're_ being the mean one, Naruto." Pointing at the bowls. "You shouldn't take advantage of someone paying for food for you." Iruka turned to look at the pile.

"EEK! Naruto, you said you were only going to have four bowls! How did you end up with _seven?_ And when did you eat them? Last I saw, you finished your third one just before Kakashi got here!" Iruka questioned in shock.

"Ah… hehehe" Naruto giggled childishly. "I asked for more when you weren't looking, and hid them on my other side so you couldn't see them. Clever, ne?!" Iruka sighed.

"Next time, _you're_ paying!" the smirking man teased.

"Aw, but Iruka-sensei!" Naruto whined.

"Hey, you're lucky he doesn't eat as much as you! If it was me, I'd get double the amount." Kakashi teased.

"Whaa-!? That's so mean, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto pouted before switching to his usual cheer. "Anyway, I have something I need to do, so I've gotta leave now. Thank you for the meal, Iruka-sensei!" He waved before running off. That left Kakashi and Iruka alone to enjoy the peace.

"That kid, honestly…" Iruka sighed before turning to Kakashi with a small smile. "Do you think he could beat Choji in a ramen eating contest?" Kakashi laughed an even louder laugh than before, picturing the heavy eater losing against the blonde in a food contest.

"There's no way Naruto would lose when it comes to ramen!"

"That's what I thought when he had downed his third bowl in just a few minutes; but now that I know he's had seven in such a short amount of time, I'm even more confident Naruto would win." Iruka laughed.

The two men continued chatting as they finished their meals. When eating with Naruto, the chuunin liked to take his time, but often felt rushed because of how fast the boy was guzzling his bowls. This time when he ordered just one more bowl for himself to keep Kakashi company, he felt like he was able to match the sharingan user's pace. When they finally finished their peaceful meal together, Kakashi looked over at Iruka's, and in particular, Naruto's pile of bowls.

"That looks like it's going to be awfully expensive. I'm going to help you pay for it." Kakashi stated matter-of-factly.

"W-What? No, I can't ask you to do that!" Iruka looked shocked. "It's my fault really; I know how Naruto gets and I should have been watching him more carefully. I can pay for it all."

"You might be able to, but you're not going to." Kakashi turned to the man drying clean ramen bowls. "What's the bill for the lot?"

"Kakashi, _no_! I don't want you to pay for mine!"

Iruka was mortified that the jounin was offering to do that. Somehow, he knew, as he watched the man though, he wouldn't be able to stop his friend from paying nothing.

"You will not be paying my whole bill, Kakashi." Iruka began in his stern academy voice, which caused the jounin to glance at him in surprise for the tone. He was even more interested, though, in the contradicting blush that began to accent the chuunin's scar painted across his nose. "But if you insist on paying, how about just half? But certainly not the lot."

Kakashi thought about it for a moment before he deemed the teacher's compromise acceptable. They left the building and continued to walk together in silence, neither of the men quite ready to go home yet. Kakashi spent a lot of that time studying the chuunin beside him who was lost in deep thought. He wondered what Iruka was thinking about and what was troubling him; and why the academy teacher was so tense around him.

As they continued along, a group of loud, drunken men exited a bar together, heading in their direction. It wouldn't have been a problem if not for the fact that when they saw Iruka, their faces filled with disgust and an ugly fascination for the innocent man. Kakashi could tell that they would have harassed him if the copy ninja hadn't been present; and he began to wonder why. Iruka would never do anything to leave people giving him looks like that.

"He's actually hanging out with _that_ thing? Doesn't he know what's good for him?" One of the men whispered ever so loudly.

Iruka had heard it all before when he first began teaching Naruto. People whispered that all the time when they learnt that the boy inhabiting the demon fox that destroyed the village was spending his time with the academy teacher; especially after the incident with Mizuki that caused Iruka to have a large shuriken lodged into his back. They deemed the young boy a monster, and treated him like a piece of trash; like his life wasn't important. This time though, Iruka wasn't with the jinchuuriki; and he realised that this time the comment was directed at Kakashi and _he_ himself was the shameful one. The chuuninwas _that_ thing; the monster being ridiculed.

Kakashi was torn. He wanted to beat those men to near death, peg them with kunai and shuriken, and then for a final blow, gut them with his most powerful lightning attack. No one should speak about a person like that; especially someone who had done nothing wrong, and did his best to help everyone, and who was extremely nice and forgiving; no one should have been doing that to Iruka. But as much as he wanted to defend his friend, he knew he would get into serious trouble with the law if he attacked; so instead, he studied the chuunin. Tears were glistening from his brown eyes, threatening to stream down his face, and it hurt Kakashi to see Iruka breaking down like this.

"Iruka…" Kakashi began softly. But before he could finish speaking or respond in any way, as the tears finally did begin to flow, Iruka ran off.

"Iruka, wait!" Kakashi panicked. He didn't want to leave the man looking like that.

As Iruka ran on, his surroundings became a blur. He didn't mean to leave Kakashi behind, but at the same time, he couldn't tell him that he just wanted to be alone. He had never imagined the words could hurt so badly, and he wondered how Naruto managed to put up with it so often and still keep on smiling. Iruka sighed sadly to himself as he found his way to the memorial stone he often visited to speak to his parents. _The_ one _time I decide to drink…_ Why _did I have to accept that drunken dare…? It's ruined my life…_

Kakashi had followed Iruka, but in his panic, lost the man's trail when the clone he was chasing suddenly disappeared. If he wasn't so worried about the man's state, he would have been impressed that the chuunin managed to pull off such a simple trick to fool him. _But,_ Kakashi thought as he bit his thumb to draw blood, _Iruka is going to have to do better than that to escape me._ As he placed his palm on the ground, a puff of smoke smothered the area and a silhouette of three canines appeared.

"What's up, Kakashi?" the smallest asked, cocking his head at the worried man.

"Pakkun, do you remember the Umino child, Iruka?" Pakkun and the other two ninja hounds nodded in anticipation. "I need you to find him for me. I want to make sure he's okay."

"On it, boss!"

And with that, they left the sharingan user to wander aimlessly, also trying to search for Iruka.

* * *

Loud shouts directed Kakashi away from his thoughts, and he noticed it was the group of men from earlier. With only the thought of Iruka's broken, crying face in his mind, he decided he didn't care if he got into trouble for getting into a fight with civilians, or drunk shinobi; whichever it was. He hoped it was shinobi, because he would be able to hit them more without killing them.

"There's that jounin from before!" one of them audibly whispered.

"You mean the one with… _the pansy_?" _They don't even know his name, yet they're still bad-mouthing Iruka. How shameful._ Anger began to radiate within, although he looked absolutely cool, calm, and collected on the outside.

"Let's ask him what he was doing with that freak! Surely he's not _like_ him, ay? I mean, he's reading that good book with all the sexy ladies in it."

"Wait. That's not _any_ jounin, that's _the_ jounin; the one with the Uchiha eye!"

"Ehh? Well now I'm curious. Let's go an' see what 'e was doin' before!" They continued forward with confidence.

"Oi, you!"

"Mmm?" Kakashi put his book away, pretending he didn't hear a word of their conversation.

"Whatcha doin' with that freak earlier?" Kakashi cocked his head to the side to convey confusion.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, c'mon. You know; that one with the girly hair in the ponytail."

"You mean Iruka; Konoha's best academy teacher? Mhn... He's my friend."

"How can you be 'is friend after what 'appened?!" one of the men asked, outraged.

"Maybe he doesn't know yet, and that's why." Another assured.

"Mhn? Is there something I've missed? I only just got back from a mission today." Kakashi responded, deciding it was actually a good idea to speak to the drunken group; at least he could learn something. One of the men suddenly looked concerned for Kakashi and went closer to him, speaking in a low voice.

"Rumour 'as it, he was drinkin' with a group of shinobi and he made out with a guy. He was totally into it and they even woke up in the same room together; an' even the next day he looked, well, you know… You coul' tell that somethin' 'appened; he was red 'n everything."

"Oh. So he might be gay?" Kakashi asked calmly, even though a vast array of emotions were flooding through him and he couldn't decipher which one in particular he wanted to feel at that time. He did know one thing though; he had to talk to Iruka again.

"Might be? Please…" the loudest of the group scoffed. "I'd watch your back if I were you; in case he starts on you, too." Kakashi had cracked.

"Now, what makes you think that I wouldn't enjoy that?" he smiled with a deadly expression in his eyes, head cocked to the side.

"Keep away from him, and stop spreading rumours." He finally demanded before walking past the insecure men, following what he was sure was Pakkun's scent. Kakashi didn't have enhanced scent like Kiba; it was just that after being with his summons for so long, their bond allowed him to detect them easily as though they expelled his own chakra.

* * *

"Yo."

Iruka had expected Kakashi to be there from the familiar chakra he detected, but instead was faced with a small ninja hound sitting nearby. He felt guilty seeing the dog; Kakashi must have really been worried about him if he used his sensory pets to find him. That made him smile a little; not so much for making the jounin go to such lengths, but because he _had_ to and didn't detect the chuunin's simple clone. Kakashi, the infamous copy ninja with the sharingan eye, whom had faced many powerful battles as both a jounin and when he was an ANBU member, couldn't even tell that he was chasing a clone.

"Hi, Pakkun…" Iruka said, sitting by the memorial, gazing up at the stars. "I'm guessing Kakashi sent you?"

"Yes. He wanted me to make sure you were okay." Pakkun paced closer to Iruka, who began absentmindedly petting the dog.

"Is that so…" The pair stayed silent for a moment as even the canine looked up to the sky.

"He worries about you, you know. When I was summoned, I had never seen him so distressed before. He tried to act cool and composed, but if you know him, you can easily tell when he's not himself."

"I didn't mean to make him worry. I just…" Iruka sighed. "No, it doesn't matter." They were silent for a moment.

"So, what do you want me to report to him?"

* * *

"Pakkun, how'd it go?" Kakashi asked with a hint of desperation in his voice.

"I found Iruka and sent the other two hounds back while I spoke with the man."

"And? Is he okay?" he asked, bending down to look at the dog.

"He told me to tell you he's fine and to stop worrying about him, but I think he's deeply troubled. There's something bothering him that he can't bring himself to say."

"Ah. I think I know just what that might be…" Kakashi pet Pakkun. "Anyway, thank you for your help. I'll send you home now."

Once Pakkun disappeared, Kakashi stood up and began walking with purpose. He knew exactly where he needed to go and what he needed to do.

* * *

The quiet knocks at the door startled Iruka. It was 10pm and he was just thinking of going to bed after his long night. _Who would be visiting at this time of night?_ When he opened the door, he was surprised but also half-expected to see the silver-haired jounin waiting for him. He didn't know if he was pleased or annoyed, but figured it couldn't hurt to find out what he wanted, and invited him in.

"Sorry for running off earlier…" Iruka began.

"Don't worry about it. Actually, I am quite impressed that you managed to fool me with a simple clone." Kakashi smiled.

"So, um, I don't mean to sound rude, but what are you doing here?" Iruka pressed after a moment of silence.

"I just have a few things to say, so I won't keep you up too late;" Kakashi hesitated with the next part, "though I had a feeling you wouldn't be able to sleep well anyway, so I figured visiting now would be better than later."

Iruka looked nervous and a whole jumble of other emotions that made him look like he would crumble any minute. The jounin hated seeing him this way. He loved that innocent, optimistic presence that the teacher always brought. No matter where he went, Iruka seemed to be like… home. Yeah, that was it. Iruka reminded him of a home; of a happy place that anyone could return to, being comfortable in their own skin. But at that moment it looked like the house was becoming abandoned, and he wanted to do what he could to liven it up again.

"I'll start by saying don't pay attention to what other people say about you; especially strangers. Their opinion doesn't matter if it's affecting your personal wellbeing." Iruka looked down as despair filled his vision. "Rumours can really hurt and damage one's soul, but it's up to you to decide how to face it." Kakashi looked away as if he was thinking about what to say next.

"Mah, in my case, I've found that the best way to deal with them is to use them to your advantage."

"It's not that easy…" Iruka spoke quietly but also somewhat angry. "You… You're the "copy ninja with a thousand jutsus", the "jounin with the sharingan eye"; and anyone who hears your name respects you. You can easily use your name to your advantage."

"What are they going to say about _me_?" Iruka raised his voice at the man as he vented his frustration. "How can _my_ branded name be used as an advantage? The rumours aren't even a hundred percent true…"

Kakashi fought his urge to question what actually happened because he was sure that the chuunin didn't want to talk about it and wouldn't believe the jounin if he said he wouldn't judge him for his actions. So instead he felt compelled to open up in return.

"I wasn't always famous for my eye and skills, you know…" Kakashi watched Iruka look up with a small curiosity dancing across his eyes. The silver-haired man never spoke about his past, or anything personal for that matter.

"I used to be "Killer Kakashi", "Kakashi the friend killer", "Homicidal Hatake", or some other variant; and so many people avoided me and saw me as a monster…" Iruka was shocked. He had never heard about this before. The Sandaime must have ordered it to be silenced as the jounin aged.

"I didn't kill her, you know. Rin… She dived right into my chidori, sacrificing herself in front of the enemies pursuing us. But the only thing people knew was how she died; not the circumstances."

Kakashi couldn't believe how composed he was sharing this story. It was something he had kept a secret since it had happened many years ago, and he never thought he'd tell another soul; but here he was sharing one of his darkest secrets with the man in front of him. He couldn't help it once he started; it felt right.

"After the rumours spread, I felt probably just how you do now. I hated the constant reminders that my friend was dead and that it was my fault. I started using that name to intimidate my opponents from other lands, and it soon spread that I was ruthless and powerful." Kakashi paused. "The intimidation; although I didn't necessarily like it, it was good to know it helped keep my comrades safe, since enemies would avoid us; so I endured it. Somehow from there, it grew back into the name you now know me as." Kakashi thought about the memory silently.

"I… I'm sorry; I didn't know…" Iruka said shamefully, thinking about his comment earlier. "But how do you think I can use my rumour to my advantage? Everyone seems to hate me now… All because of one stupid drunken dare…"

"Mhn? I didn't know you accepted dares when you drank. I didn't even know you did drink…" Kakashi pondered.

"Ah, well not anymore… Not after this…" Iruka's expression darkened.

"Do you know what I want to see?" Kakashi smirked, looking at the pondering teacher in front of him.

"What?" he asked, gaze still focused on the ground.

"Well, don't you think it would be funny if you acted wildly flirtatious with another man, even if you're not interested? People wouldn't expect someone so… private as yourself to suddenly flaunt your demeanour like that. I think everyone would have a fit. And their reactions would be outrageously hilarious!" Kakashi enthused. Iruka looked mortified.

"What?! No way! Do you _know_ what that would do to my reputation? That would make it even _worse_!" Iruka panicked as blush crept onto his cheeks.

"I'm just joking!" Kakashi laughed, glad to see his teasing helped, "But you know, people really admire it when others can embrace rumours. When they can't get a reaction anymore, that's when they step back and stop talking about it."

"You really think so?" Iruka questioned with a layer of seriousness the jounin had never seen before.

"Definitely." Kakashi smiled as he looked at the clock on the wall. "Mhn, I had better let you get some sleep now. I'll check on you later."

Before Iruka could say bye, Kakashi was gone, and he was left to his thoughts. He knew he would have a late night again, but this time he felt it would be more pleasant than if Kakashi hadn't visited him. He needed to thank that man for what he's done for him. _And I owe him five ramen bowls to make up for his share of the last Ichiraku visit. He's not getting away with paying just like that…_

* * *

The next morning, although Iruka was tired after indeed having a late night, he didn't feel the same struggle to get out of bed as he had when the rumours first began. This time, he felt a little more lively and decided to look forward to teaching his students instead of focusing on the filthy looks he had been receiving from the villagers. But he had one thing to do first.

Since it was still early, he managed to weave his way around the village without being noticed by a single soul, and had finally reached the grassy grounds he was destined for. He intended to speak with his parents by the monument their names were inscribed into, but as the field came into view, he noticed a familiar silhouette sitting across the grass, and immediately compressed his chakra to give the man some privacy. Just as he turned to leave, however, he couldn't help but listen to the words spoken.

"Rin… For the first time since the incident, I finally told someone else what happened to you." Kakashi paused.

He was positive he had sensed Iruka's chakra if just for a second, and a small smile outlined his mask. The chuunin was too polite to eavesdrop, but Kakashi had a feeling the man would still hear pieces of the conversation as he snuck away; his chakra was too close to be out of earshot.

"I didn't share my secret to just anyone, though. In fact, he is probably the most attractive man in the village." The jounin gazed up at the awakening sky, still speckled with stars, as he reflected on his words. "But this attractiveness… It's not just physical."

A blush rose onto Iruka's cheeks as he hid behind a tree just beyond the clearing. Kakashi was clearly talking about him, but… _Most attractive man in the village? No way…_ There were plenty of other men who would have easily held that title, but certainly not him. Why was Kakashi speaking about him in this way?

"Mah… How should I put it? He has this innocent charm to him. Whenever he walks into a room, you don't stop and stare; you feel… happy, content, and safe. He offers a comforting feeling; the same sort of feeling you would get coming home after a long day." Kakashi paused, thinking of his choice of words. "Yes... Iruka is… home. That's how I would describe him."

The chuunin's heart was trying to escape his chest. He had already become red at being described as the most attractive man in the village, but he was sure he was an even deeper shade if that was possible. Iruka had become extremely embarrassed at what Kakashi had said. He couldn't believe anyone, let alone that particular man, could think about him that way. As he got distracted, for just a split second his chakra became uncontrolled; and as he hurried to suppress it once more, he hoped that the sharingan user didn't notice his presence.

"You would have liked him, Rin; and you would have scolded me." Kakashi chuckled.

 _Oh, he's still here. I guess no one can help listening if a conversation is about them._ It was only for a second, but he was positive that was Iruka's chakra again. He didn't mind, though. In fact, he felt that the things he mentioned was something the chuunin should have been hearing more often; but considering the man seemed to have been single for such a long time and those rumours had been spreading like wildfire, Kakashi had a feeling Iruka hadn't heard words like this before.

"I tease him a lot, you know. But I can't help myself. The way he blushes and gets flustered so easily just compliments even more of his innocent charm, and mah… how should I put this?" Kakashi could feel a blush rising to his cheeks. "He looks so precious and makes me want to protect him."

Iruka was beyond embarrassed at this point; he had reached a completely new level of shock. The academy teacher had never been aware that Kakashi could feel this way towards anyone; particularly since he had always been so closed off about personal feelings. Hearing the words from the jounin's mouth was a surreal experience. It was when the words themselves which had been tightly bound to Kakashi for so long, and the fact that they were meant for him finally hit Iruka that he began to tremble and a small tear trickled from his eye. So many emotions were running through him at that point, and he knew he would need to later sort through them. A sad sigh from Kakashi made Iruka focus on the man again.

"I just wish he _would_ let me protect him… There are these rumours going around that have the village looking at and commenting about him the same way they did with Naruto, and when I hear it I get so angry. Iruka doesn't deserve any of that. I don't know exactly what started the rumour because he hasn't told me what happened; but even if the stuff being said about him was true, why should anyone care?" Kakashi's voice became more aggressive as he spoke. "It's not like being gay would change anything about him. There are more important things to worry about than who likes who. You wouldn't believe it though, the way these people are carrying on…"

Kakashi began to laugh, which confused Iruka, since the man had clearly been letting off steam just a moment ago. It wasn't like one of the jounin's fake laughs when he becomes angry either; it was just an ordinary laugh as though he had completely calmed down.

"You should have seen them, Rin. Those drunken men last night warned me to stay away from him in case he came onto me, and they were genuinely concerned for my welfare. I already slaughtered them a thousand times each in my mind at the time, so I didn't think it was funny; but in hindsight, when I asked them what made them think I wouldn't enjoy that, their faces were priceless!" Kakashi paused again, feeling more blush rise to his cheeks as a dreamy smile played across his lips. "I don't think Iruka would ever do anything, especially after this incident; but don't you think it would be cute to watch that flock of innocence try to do… _something_?"

"Well, I need to meet up with my team or they're going to scold me for being late again." Kakashi chuckled. "Or maybe I'll get some breakfast first; who knows?"

Iruka watched as Kakashi stood up, and did his best to conceal himself behind a large tree trunk as the jounin brushed himself off and prepare to leave. He put aside the words he heard to concentrate solely on not being caught eavesdropping. He didn't know how he would explain to the man what he had been doing. Finally, the jounin's footsteps sounded like they had passed him about a metre already; not that he would leave yet.

"Ohaiyo!" Kakashi called as he continued along.

 _He knew I was there?! And he said all those things about me in_ front _of me? Oh no… He knows that I know… What should I do; what should I_ do _?!_ As panic flooded through the flustered Iruka, finally he blurted out the only response he could think of in that moment.

"You'd better be heading straight to your team! Don't be late! Naruto will tell me if you're not!"

Kakashi chuckled as the flustered teacher scolded him. _Only Iruka could tell me off after all that…_ The sharingan user smiled to himself. _At least he seems more like his normal self today._

* * *

Iruka sighed as he collected the paperwork from his desk. It had been a long day after his encounter with Kakashi. Konohamaru had been particularly mischievous. Every time Iruka turned his back, the boy would transform into another student and act like nothing happened, pretending he was the student. Each time he did this, the class tried not to laugh so that they didn't get in trouble, but it was very obvious that they weren't paying attention to what they were being taught. Finally when he had enough and was about to give Konohamaru a final warning, he turned around preparing to be face to face with another replica student; but the last transformation that really got the boys giggling and the girls gasping in shock was his own version of the pervy jutsu that Naruto taught him. Thankfully the woman he transformed into still had her privates hidden, but it was still a very inappropriate image.

The boy had expected him to become flustered at the sight of such a woman and procure a bleeding nose like his personal mentor, Ebisu; but was instead faced with a blank expression. Iruka didn't lash out at the boy but simply sighed and continued teaching, completely ignoring Konohamaru's actions. From then on, the lesson went smoothly and the boy even stopped transforming into others; it seemed his sudden calm scared Iruka's students, because he had never acted that way before.

Finally when the day ended and he filed away his paperwork, the only thing on Iruka's mind was heading home, cooking a nice dinner, have a relaxing hot shower, and prepare himself for an even busier Friday. That was, until he noticed the presence of a very nonchalant shinobi approaching him.

"Yo." He greeted.

"Ah, Kakashi, hi!" Iruka smiled.

"Heading home?" the jounin questioned.

"Yeah, I just finished work." The chuunin sighed. "It was a _long_ day…"

"Why don't you tell me about it? We could stop somewhere for food on the way."

Iruka was about to decline his offer, wanting to reflect on everything that had happened in the past two days. He was also particularly embarrassed and somewhat ashamed at eavesdropping on Kakashi that morning; but then he remembered dinner with Naruto the night before.

"Fine, but I'm paying, since you helped me out last night. I won't take no for an answer." Iruka spoke assertively.

"Okay, okay!" Kakashi smiled. "But where should we go?"

"Well you suggested the idea, so I thought you had somewhere in mind…"

"Mah, only if you don't mind having ramen two nights in a row." He replied sheepishly.

"Naruto's bad habits are starting to rub off onto you, aren't they?" Iruka grinned as they headed towards Ichiraku.

It was quiet when they arrived, and both men took a seat; Iruka electing one by the left wall. Although there were so many options to choose from, Iruka chose his usual which was topped with pork. Kakashi had decided to order the same, and they ate in a comfortable silence. About halfway through his bowl, the chuunin looked up to find that the silver-haired man beside him had just about finished his and was studying the teacher.

"W-What is it?" Iruka asked, suddenly feeling very self-conscious.

Kakashi reached an arm towards the man and gently brushed his cheek, letting his hand linger a moment before pulling away. This caused Iruka to internally freak out as his heart threatened to pump out of his chest; and the man felt very nervous at the intimate contact when butterflies prepared their migration in his stomach. Kakashi's expression was unreadable, though he seemed to be smiling to himself, the chuunin noted.

"You had a little bit of ramen on your face. I got it off for you." His visible eye appeared to be an upturned smile.

"Oh. T-Thank you." Iruka glanced down, embarrassed; and his eyes found the jounin's empty bowl.

"Are you still hungry? You can get another bowl if you want."

"Oh, no; just one is enough!" Kakashi denied politely. His stomach told another story though, when it began to grumble furiously.

"Kakashi, if you're hungry, don't lie about it! You're getting another bowl, and that's final!" Iruka began lecturing. "Now, what do you want?"

"It's okay, Iruka." The jounin laughed sheepishly, raising his hands in an easing motion. "I do have stuff at home that I can snack on later."

"Just get another bowl, Kakashi."

The intensity of Iruka's gaze made the copy ninja feel nervous; and the stern tone didn't help. He could tell that the chuunin wasn't angry at him, but if he didn't let the teacher get his own way, Kakashi knew he'd be in trouble. It wasn't so much being in trouble that made the jounin nervous, because he couldn't care less about that; it was that he had never seen Iruka like that before and didn't know if he would end up hurting the man if he didn't accept; and he didn't want to break the person he called home.

"Alright, but only one more. That should be enough." The man eventually agreed.

The two shinobi continued to chat with each other a little while after Kakashi finished eating so his stomach could settle, and so Iruka could make sure the jounin wasn't hiding his hunger again. When both men were satisfied and got ready to leave, Kakashi instinctively reached for his wallet to pay for the meal. Before he could react, a tanned hand swiped it from his friend's grip and playfully glared at the man.

"I told you that _I_ was paying."

"Ah, sorry. I guess I forgot." Kakashi chuckled, scratching the back of his head, wondering how he could have missed the chuunin's quick reaction. His chuckle turned into astonishment, however, when Iruka pocketed his wallet.

"You're not getting this back until I finish paying for the meals." The chuunin said as though he was reprimanding a student.

Kakashi smirked at Iruka's behaviour and they left Ichiraku, continuing to walk together. Neither man realised just how close they were standing to one another, nor that they were constantly brushing arms. If anyone had anything to say about it they certainly weren't addressing it while the jounin was around; not after his threat to the drunken men the night before. Both men were lost in conversation and had been joking and laughing when they finally reached Iruka's house.

"Do you want to come in for some coffee or tea?" he offered.

"I'd better not. You seemed pretty drained when I first saw you after work."

As Iruka studied Kakashi's face, he couldn't help but think that although the jounin declined the offer, he wanted nothing more than to come in and spend even more time with the man. But if that was the case, why was he hiding that desire?

"It's no big deal, really!" Iruka gently tugged at Kakashi's hand as he ushered the man towards his door. "C'mon!"

Kakashi was fully aware of the soft hand in his. Even with his gloves on, he could feel the warmth and how Iruka's skin caressed his exposed fingers. The biggest thing he noticed was just how perfectly their two hands fit together, and how the warmth sent tingles through his body.

Unaware of both what he was doing and the blush that had crept onto the jounin's face, Iruka continued to hold Kakashi's hand as he dragged him inside. It was only when he turned to close the door that he noticed the somewhat dazed copy ninja looking flushed, staring at their connected hands.

"I'm sorry, Kakashi!" Iruka blushed deeply as he quickly released his grip. "I didn't even realise I was doing that!"

"It's fine!" the jounin smiled in a way that sent butterflies migrating across Iruka's body and his nerves jittering to the beat of their wings.

"H-How about I go turn the jug on."

For a moment, the two men sat in silence as they sipped their tea. Occasionally Iruka would look at Kakashi, but as soon as they locked eyes, he would quickly send his gaze elsewhere. He didn't really know what to say after that incident, especially after hearing what was said at the memorial that morning; and it seemed the jounin was equally as embarrassed and confused.

"Thank you. This is a nice cup of tea." Kakashi finally said.

"I'm glad you like it. It was a gift from a student one year. I don't know what type it is, but it has a unique taste to it." The frazzled teacher felt lost in the silence that consumed them once again. That is, before the tense atmosphere transformed to something somewhat encouraging and bold.

"You _can_ look at me, you know. I won't bite… Unless you want me to." Iruka could _hear_ the wink in that comment and wanted to scold the man.

Kakashi smirked when Iruka blushed and opened his mouth to speak; but just as the academy teacher was about to reprimand the jounin for the joke, he was at a sudden loss for words as he became flustered with what he saw. The mysterious shinobi had pulled down his mask; and for the first time ever, he was looking at Kakashi's whole face, minus the protector covering his sharingan eye. For a while, all he could do was stare in awe. He had imagined what the man looked like underneath, just as the rest of the village did, but the face he saw was beyond Iruka's imagination. Before he could stop himself, he found his hand reaching towards the jounin's face.

"May I?" he asked. Kakashi nodded. Of course it was okay for Iruka to take the protector off.

With eyes full of wonder, the tanned man carefully reached behind Kakashi's face to untie the knot. Their heads were so close together then that the jounin could feel the academy teacher's soft breath gently tickling his neck. He could feel his heart pounding as their shared breaths became intoxicating. He had never been so close to the man before, and he was entrapped with the intimate distance. As Iruka gently pulled back, taking the protector with him, Kakashi released the breath he didn't realise he was holding. All he hoped as Iruka continued to study him, was that this feeling wasn't one sided.

Iruka couldn't believe what he was seeing. This was Kakashi's face; and it was breathtaking. His scarlet sharingan eye was just as vibrant as his steel blue eye; and both held powerful emotion. The eyes are the window to the soul, the teacher believed; but the jounin's face as a whole seemed to be the door that invited him in. It shared stories that the teacher wouldn't have known with the mask; and even the scar that ran across the area around Kakashi's sharingan eye seemed to share even more tales when the man bared his whole face.

Iruka reached out absentmindedly again, this time gently tracing the scar from its tip to its base; leaving his hand gently resting upon Kakashi's cheek. The jounin subconsciously leaned into the touch, as though he was silently giving permission for the chuunin to continue; and that's what the man did.

Kakashi couldn't get enough of Iruka's soft touch. The man had been gently tracing his fingers and hand over the jounin's entire face, as though he wanted to remember everything about it. But then the chuunin stopped his hands; one across Kakashi's scarred cheek, and the other teasing his neck; and just stared into the jounin's eyes. The silver-haired man felt a faint blush paint his cheeks as he couldn't help but rest his own hands by the academy teacher's waist in response. There was only one thing he wanted to do in that moment, but he wasn't going to push his boundaries with the man he finally admitted his attraction to.

The academy teacher had no idea what made him want to run his hands all over Kakashi's face; but when he stared into the man's eyes and felt a warm protective grip around his waist, he decided that perhaps maybe the rumours weren't so bad after all. He didn't know if it was entirely true that he was gay, but he couldn't deny his feelings towards Kakashi any longer.

"Kakashi." Iruka murmured.

"Mhn?"

 _Dammit._ He couldn't say the words.

The academy teacher didn't want to be speechless. He wanted the jounin to know everything; the origin of the rumour, how he felt towards Kakashi, and… He couldn't think any longer. If he couldn't speak, then he would show him. Iruka leaned his face even closer to the man and closed his eyes, planting a small kiss on Kakashi's lips.

Although he possessed the sharingan eye that saw many things, Kakashi did _not_ see that coming. He had wanted it, but he wasn't expecting to be kissed. When their lips connected, a warm spark travelled throughout his entire body and soul, making his heart shiver in anticipation; and it took everything in his power not to devour the teacher then and there. He knew that the man still needed to sort out his feelings; so he chose to stay at Iruka's pace, which…

"Hn?!"

One small kiss wasn't enough. Iruka needed more; he was addicted to Kakashi's taste. He wrapped his arms around the seated jounin and sat on his lap as he went for a deeper kiss. Although initially surprised, he could feel Kakashi responding to his movements, and felt one arm support his back better while the other travelled to his neck.

Their tongues interlocked with one another and continued exploring, and for a while they stayed that way; pressing up against one another, as though the attachment was their lifeline. Their hands roamed across their bodies; Iruka running a hand through the jounin's silky hair, and the other trailing along his back, and Kakashi gently releasing the other man's soft dark hair from its elastic grip whilst wrapping his other arm even tighter to keep Iruka in place. As Kakashi explored, he was careful not to wander to areas that could frighten the man on his lap; he could tell that Iruka wasn't ready. The sharingan eye was good for noticing things like that; not that he'd needed it for the ninja to know.

As the academy teacher later rested his head on the jounin's chest, arms still hanging loosely around the man's neck, he couldn't help but feel grateful that Kakashi was going at his pace; he didn't think he would have been able to take it another step further. They sat in comfortable silence, enjoying the closeness of each other as they let their minds wander. _If Kakashi thinks of me as home,_ Iruka smiled to himself, _then he is…_

"Mine." the chuunin murmured to himself.

"Mhn?" Kakashi looked at Iruka curiously, whom had suddenly shifted so that his face was level with the jounin again.

"You think of me as home. Well I think of you as…" Iruka paused to lean over to the man's ear, face beginning to blush once more.

"Mine."

As Iruka pulled back, Kakashi guided him into a light kiss.

"Say that again…" he murmured seductively.

"You're mine."


End file.
